Director of Sales

*This is not a job with ForceBrands!*

Who Are We

We are a mission-driven home fragrance and since our founding in 2017, we have achieved considerable growth, establishing ourselves as a top player in home fragrance market through nationwide partnerships with retailers like Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market.

As Grocery Director you will be a part of our Senior Leadership Team. You will play a pivotal role in driving growth and a reputation for reliability and consistency with our key grocery and distributor partners. Along with a team of 2 direct reports, you will lead the execution of strategic plans you influence to grow velocity in current and new grocery accounts nationwide. Your leadership, communication, and ability to go from strategy down to full execution of your responsibilities will be foundational to our continued focus on scaling our brand through our Grocery channel.

Core Functions

• Key National Account Management
• Distributor Support/Execution
• Trade Spend Planning/Auditing
• Sales and Demand Forecasting
• Velocity and Assortment Data Analysis

Duties Include

National Account Management

• Growing current key accounts through consistent review of assortments/velocity data, on-time and data-supported product and promotion submissions, prompt response and service, and detailed management of distributor partners that support the service of each account. Includes: Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Fresh Thyme, and HEB.
• Collaborating with Product Development to strategically plan out seasonal and everyday assortment submissions to each retailer on time.
• Managing and supporting Chain Account Manager to grow current regional grocery accounts and develop new business.
• Planning out and attending retailer-specific and other strategic tradeshows to enrich current accounts and develop new business.

Distributor Support/Execution

• Fostering and growing relationships with distributor partners.
• Ensuring correct item set up for new assortments and managing process of discontinued items.
• Monitoring inventory levels at each DC— ensuring we are selling through inventory sold to distributors.
• Managing distributor promotional/catalog calendars— ensuring execution of ad campaigns with marketing department.
• Holding accountable and supporting the deduction audit and dispute process.
• Planning out and attending strategic distributor trade shows.
• Training and support of distributor sales teams.

Trade Spend Planning

• Setting strategic promotions for each key retail partner.
• Maintaining a 12-month promotional calendar—logging each promotion solidified with retailer into the calendar along with expected trade spend dollars and units sold.
• Ensuring promotions are executed at the store level.
• Auditing promotion performance data (sales lift, unit lift, new sales baseline after promo) for future promotional enrichment.
• Working with each key retail partner to develop annual promotional plans that drive profitable and sustainable growth.
• Prepping annual trade plan for leadership review.

Sales and Demand Plan Forecasting

• Maintaining a 6-month grocery sales forecast broken down by distributor and retailer.
• Maintaining a 6-month demand plan based on distributor stock levels, velocity data, new/disco SKUs, promotions scheduled, and new accounts.
• Prepping and contributing in bi-weekly S&OP meetings.
• Prepping annual sales forecast plan for leadership review.

Velocity and Data Analysis

• Weekly review of retail and distributor sales and velocity (units/store/week) performance.
• Weekly review of distributor inventory levels.
• Tracking and reviewing KPI’s via company scorecards.
• Working with data partners to streamline report generation and increase visibility into key data metrics.

Department Staff Management

• Managing and giving strategic direction to Chain Account Manager and Sales Support Manager.
• Running effective weekly sales meetings to review key data, ensure execution of account management, review sales pipeline, assign action items/hold accountable deadlines, encourage team.
• Setting sales goals and reviewing compensation structures for direct reports.
• Quarterly performance reviews and goal setting with each staff member.

SOP Management

• Maintain Grocery department SOPs and ensure department staff members are adequately trained on each process.

Key Competencies:

• 5 years in CPG industry managing grocery accounts and working with UNFI/KeHE or other key grocery distributors.
• 5 years in a strategic/management sales role.
• Proven ability to drive revenue growth.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Financial acumen and experience in analyzing P&L statements and setting budgets/sales targets.
• Category and shopper acumen—ability to understand our consumer base to better inform strategy/brand direction.

Compensation Location:

• $100K-$150K base up to 20% bonus structure.
• 3 days in office (Arlington, TX), 2 days optional remote, Monday-Friday. 10-15% travel apx.